Micro and Macronutrients: A Beginner’s guide

Macronutrients

There are 4 types of Macronutrients:

1. Protein
2. Carbohydrates
3. Fats
4. Fibre

Protein: Protein is one of the fundamental parts of food, they are made up of Amino acids. Antibodies, enzymes, and a vast majority of the hormones in the body are made up of proteins. They are absolutely essential in muscle building and repairing. Types of Major Proteins:

• Whey – Derived from milk, complete protein, easily digestible.
• Casein – Derived from milk, complete protein, takes a long time to digest.
• Soy –  Derived from soybeans, complete protein, plant based.
• Pea – Derived from peas, in-complete protein, plant based.
• Brown rice – Derived from brown rice, in-complete protein, plant based.
• Hemp – Derived from hemp seed, in-complete protein, plant based.

All Proteins contain 4 Calories per gram.

Point to remember: 1 gram protein = 4 Calories.

Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for all bodily functions. They are easy to digest and are easily converted to energy. There are 2 types of carbs.

• Low GI(Glycemic Index) Carbs: These carbs are digested at a very slower rate and can provide you with energy for a longer period of time. So naturally it is best to take these carbs is in a Pre-workout meal. Eg. Sweet Potato, Oats, Legumes, etc.
• High GI Carbs: These carbs are nothing but sugars. The only time these carbs are good for you is during Post-workout phase (i.e., 15 min to 1 hour after Strength Training), all other times you will do well if you avoid them. Eg. Sugars, Regular Potatoes, White rice, etc.

All carbohydrates contain 4 Calories per gram.

Point to remember: 1 gram carbohydrate = 4 Calories.

Fats: Common misconception among people is that Fats are bad. Guess what? Fats are not bad. Nope, no where near bad. They are good, they are so good that they are crucial in hormone development. You might have come across these terms such as low fat diets, no fat diets, etc. All these diets does little to nothing in fat loss but everything in messing up your hormone development and hindering your optimal growth. Fats contain 9 Calories per gram.

Point to remember: 1 gram fat = 9 Calories.

Fibre: Fibre has no Caloric value but is still classed as a macro-nutrient. Dietary fibers are nothing but large carbohydrate molecules. The key difference between fiber and other carbohydrates is that fiber cannot be broken down by the human digestive system.

Point to remember: Fibre has no caloric value.

If you want to know how much macronutrients you need to consume daily please use the Macro calculator.

Micronutrients

There are 2 types of Micronutrients:

1. Vitamins
2. Minerals

Vitamins and Minerals, together they support the immune system, improve normal growth and development, and help cells and organs carry out their work without problems.

For instance,

You might have heard that Calcium is good for bones! Yes, that’s correct. But in order for your body to absorb calcium effectively it needs a specific vitamin, which is nothing but vitamin D. They both can be found in Eggs.

Point to remember: Calories of micro-nutrients are very negligible.